GOP might be anti-science, but so are Democrats

The notion that Republicans are uniquely anti-science is an oft-repeated theme in American political discourse. Every election cycle, Democrats salivate over opportunities to indicate how scientifically illiterate they believe Republicans to be. And all too often, the news media happily play along without pausing to analyze whether it is actually true.

Recently, a child asked Texas Gov. Rick Perry about the age of the Earth, a not-so-subtle inquiry into his belief about evolution. Perry responded that both creationism and evolution were taught in Texas. The mother replied, "Ask him why he doesn't believe in science." Setting aside the tackiness of feeding political questions to a child, does she have a point? Is Perry anti-science? And, more generally, is the Republican Party anti-science?

Yes. But so are the Democrats.

Either way, science loses

Sadly, when science battles politics, science usually loses. And that is true regardless of political party.

Each campaign season, the same three hot-button science issues are tossed around like political footballs: evolution, global warming and embryonic stem cells. On these three issues, criticism of Republicans is fair.

The GOP should never cave to the conservatives within the party who deny evolution and global warming. There is simply no excuse for that. Expressing moral concerns over embryonic stem cell research is legitimate, but it is best to leave regulatory policy to stem cell biologists and bioethicists. Experts should be making those decisions, not politicians.

So Democrats might have a point if those three issues were all there was to science. Unfortunately for Democrats, their progressive political allies often hold blatantly anti-science beliefs themselves. And in some cases, progressives actively undermine technological progress.

The most extreme example is the anti-vaccination movement, which has gained new but incomplete attention in the controversy among Republican presidential candidates over the HPV vaccine. Empowered by those who believe the myth that only "natural things" are good for you, anti-vaccine activists routinely share common ground with organic food consumers. In fact, a public health official once noted that rates of vaccine non-compliance tend to be higher in places where Whole Foods is popular — and 89% of Whole Foods stores are located in counties that favored Barack Obama in 2008.

Federal health data suggest that anti-vaccine sentiment is more common in progressive areas. With the exception of Alaska, the states with the highest rates of vaccine refusal for kindergarteners are Washington, Vermont and Oregon — three of the most progressive states in the country.Unlike denying evolution, refusing vaccinations can be deadly.

Progressives are also often against genetically modified food, despite its known benefits and widespread support among agricultural scientists and molecular biologists. Recently, eight U.S. senators — seven of whom were Democrats —wrote a letter to the Food and Drug Administration, threatening to halt approval of a genetically modified salmon. (Interestingly, most of the opponents are from the Pacific Northwest, while the company seeking FDA approval is based in Massachusetts.)Nukes and PETA

We can also thank progressives for blocking the construction of nuclear power plants, even though nuclear power is supported by 70% of the scientific community. Ironically, they oppose this technology despite the fact it would help reduce carbon emissions and limit the impact of global warming.

Progressive organizations such as PETA are opposed to animal research, despite the fact that an overwhelming 93% of scientists support it. These progressives believe that the rights of animals should trump our desire to cure our loved ones affected by HIV, Alzheimer's or cancer.

In short, for every anti-science Republican that exists, there is at least one anti-science Democrat. Neither party has a monopoly on scientific illiteracy. Indeed, ignorance has reached epidemic proportions inside the Beltway.Alex B. Berezow is the editor of RealClearScience. He holds a Ph.D. in microbiology.

You're making excuses for republicans who cater to the Christian right. They are the ones who want to maintain the God hates fags status quo. Religious liberals actually have a view of the world with more equality than the Bible even depicts. Conservative religious views and liberal religious views are two very different groups.

HottJoe saidYou're making excuses for republicans who cater to the Christian right. They are the ones who want to maintain the God hates fags status quo. Religious liberals actually have a view of the world with more equality than the Bible even depicts. Conservative religious views and liberal religious views are two very different groups.

And you're making excuses for Democrats who cater to Gaia and other crazy views when it comes to things like vaccinations.

LittleDudeWithMuscles saidWhen it comes to science, most politicians on both sides are ignorant or illiterate. Still, most of the complete crackpots are on the Republican side.

Not sure about that. Ignorance is hardly specific to any party. There's also a significant difference between scientists in the hard sciences and social scientists in things like feminism, gender studies, etc.

HottJoe saidYou're making excuses for republicans who cater to the Christian right. They are the ones who want to maintain the God hates fags status quo. Religious liberals actually have a view of the world with more equality than the Bible even depicts. Conservative religious views and liberal religious views are two very different groups.

And you're making excuses for Democrats who cater to Gaia and other crazy views when it comes to things like vaccinations.

I know a transsexual named Gaia. Other than that I don't think they're that big of a lobbying group compared to the Christian right.

Republicans have historically stood in the way of science, from reproductive science, to stem cell research, climate change, etc. Republicans are anti gay, anti science, anti healthcare, anti public education, anti diplomacy, and anti bipartisanship. They are pro Jesus, pro war, and pro richest 1%. That is all they are.

HottJoe saidYou're making excuses for republicans who cater to the Christian right. They are the ones who want to maintain the God hates fags status quo. Religious liberals actually have a view of the world with more equality than the Bible even depicts. Conservative religious views and liberal religious views are two very different groups.

And you're making excuses for Democrats who cater to Gaia and other crazy views when it comes to things like vaccinations.

I know a transsexual named Gaia. Other than that I don't think they're that big of a lobbying group compared to the Christian right.

Republicans have historically stood in the way of science, from reproductive science, to stem cell research, climate change, etc. Republicans are anti gay, anti science, anti healthcare, anti public education, anti diplomacy, and anti bipartisanship. They are pro Jesus, pro war, and pro richest 1%. That is all they are.

Which explains why there was a recent study that showed how poorly liberals understood the positions of others while conservatives were far more accurate at understanding and describing the positions of the liberal friends.

HottJoe saidYou're making excuses for republicans who cater to the Christian right. They are the ones who want to maintain the God hates fags status quo. Religious liberals actually have a view of the world with more equality than the Bible even depicts. Conservative religious views and liberal religious views are two very different groups.

And you're making excuses for Democrats who cater to Gaia and other crazy views when it comes to things like vaccinations.

I know a transsexual named Gaia. Other than that I don't think they're that big of a lobbying group compared to the Christian right.

Republicans have historically stood in the way of science, from reproductive science, to stem cell research, climate change, etc. Republicans are anti gay, anti science, anti healthcare, anti public education, anti diplomacy, and anti bipartisanship. They are pro Jesus, pro war, and pro richest 1%. That is all they are.

ding ding ding! we have a winner.

but seriously, don't bother engaging this idiotic troll, it's as pointless and useless as waiting for rain in this drought.

HottJoe saidYou're making excuses for republicans who cater to the Christian right. They are the ones who want to maintain the God hates fags status quo. Religious liberals actually have a view of the world with more equality than the Bible even depicts. Conservative religious views and liberal religious views are two very different groups.

And you're making excuses for Democrats who cater to Gaia and other crazy views when it comes to things like vaccinations.

I know a transsexual named Gaia. Other than that I don't think they're that big of a lobbying group compared to the Christian right.

Republicans have historically stood in the way of science, from reproductive science, to stem cell research, climate change, etc. Republicans are anti gay, anti science, anti healthcare, anti public education, anti diplomacy, and anti bipartisanship. They are pro Jesus, pro war, and pro richest 1%. That is all they are.

ding ding ding! we have a winner.

but seriously, don't bother engaging this idiotic troll, it's as pointless and useless as waiting for rain in this drought.

their logic is flawed and they are beyond help.

Says the guy who seems entirely incapable of making a logical argument

HottJoe saidYou're making excuses for republicans who cater to the Christian right. They are the ones who want to maintain the God hates fags status quo. Religious liberals actually have a view of the world with more equality than the Bible even depicts. Conservative religious views and liberal religious views are two very different groups.

And you're making excuses for Democrats who cater to Gaia and other crazy views when it comes to things like vaccinations.

I know a transsexual named Gaia. Other than that I don't think they're that big of a lobbying group compared to the Christian right.

Republicans have historically stood in the way of science, from reproductive science, to stem cell research, climate change, etc. Republicans are anti gay, anti science, anti healthcare, anti public education, anti diplomacy, and anti bipartisanship. They are pro Jesus, pro war, and pro richest 1%. That is all they are.

Which explains why there was a recent study that showed how poorly liberals understood the positions of others while conservatives were far more accurate at understanding and describing the positions of the liberal friends.

That's because republicans don't bring anything to the table that a democrat hasn't already thought of.

"conservatives were far more accurate at understanding and describing the positions of the liberal friends."

CONSIDER THIS:

The positions of a liberal are more coherent, logical, science and fact-basedand therefore lend themselves to being accurately understood.

Who can even describe the mess of positions that currently make up what could be called "conservative" ?

You want a SMALLER GOVERNMENT except in the areas where you want it to control our sex loves, relationships and reproduction.

You mock liberals for their "unreasonable" fear that a few billionaires are trying to buy an election........YET you have no problem believing(or adamantly supporting those who do) that a KENYAN is now our president. Really----and this just slipped by our military intelligence???

Uggggh, don't even ask to be considered as worthy of being understood !

Balancing said"conservatives were far more accurate at understanding and describing the positions of the liberal friends."

CONSIDER THIS:

The positions of a liberal are more coherent, logical, science and fact-basedand therefore lend themselves to being accurately understood.

Who can even describe the mess of positions that currently make up what could be called "conservative" ?

You want a SMALLER GOVERNMENT except in the areas where you want it to control our sex loves, relationships and reproduction.

You mock liberals for their "unreasonable" fear that a few billionaires are trying to buy an election........YET you have no problem believing(or adamantly supporting those who do) that a KENYAN is now our president. Really----and this just slipped by our military intelligence???

Uggggh, don't even asked to be considered as worthy of being understood !

Balancing said"conservatives were far more accurate at understanding and describing the positions of the liberal friends."

CONSIDER THIS:

The positions of a liberal are more coherent, logical, science and fact-basedand therefore lend themselves to being accurately understood.

Who can even describe the mess of positions that currently make up what could be called "conservative" ?

You want a SMALLER GOVERNMENT except in the areas where you want it to control our sex loves, relationships and reproduction.

You mock liberals for their "unreasonable" fear that a few billionaires are trying to buy an election........YET you have no problem believing(or adamantly supporting those who do) that a KENYAN is now our president. Really----and this just slipped by our military intelligence???

Uggggh, don't even asked to be considered as worthy of being understood !

He doesn’t seem to understand that science abuse isn’t about getting something wrong. This happens all the time in science, in academia, etc. That’s okay, because science has a self correcting mechanism—and this is part of its very nature.

The real problem is therefore not mistakes. It’s attacking established knowledge, and spreading clearly refuted falsehoods, for political reasons. And clinging to them, sinking into denial.

Balancing said"conservatives were far more accurate at understanding and describing the positions of the liberal friends."

CONSIDER THIS:

The positions of a liberal are more coherent, logical, science and fact-basedand therefore lend themselves to being accurately understood.

Who can even describe the mess of positions that currently make up what could be called "conservative" ?

You want a SMALLER GOVERNMENT except in the areas where you want it to control our sex loves, relationships and reproduction.

You mock liberals for their "unreasonable" fear that a few billionaires are trying to buy an election........YET you have no problem believing(or adamantly supporting those who do) that a KENYAN is now our president. Really----and this just slipped by our military intelligence???

Uggggh, don't even asked to be considered as worthy of being understood !

Sorry, you can't pin the HPV fracas on the Dems.The religious conservatives were the ones who led the fight against the HPV vaccine because they thought it would encourage young people to be sexually active, and their religious fanaticism teaches that "sex is evil."

Also, the original article's "logic" is hilarious:Apparently anything that happens in a region with a Whole Foods store is the fault of Democrats. Well, now I know.